<p>Dude, ukrus. You’re cool, but I don’t understand why you take such offense. It’s just a piece of paper on a wall. Someone would make themselves much worthier of criticism by wearing ostentatious clothing, moving an engagement ring so it catches the light, or limping more than necessary to achieve the same result of drawing attention to themselves. It’s not that different from the engagement ring, now that I think on it…represents a huge life step and all, and it’s considerably less sparkly.</p>
<p>A certificate of admission would make a horrible conversation piece anyway. You get, what, two minutes of “I got in.” “Contratulations!” “Thanks.” Uncomfortable pause. “So…what are you going to major in?” And there you go onto another subject. If you’re not an interesting or confident enough person to converse with others after that bit, well then your social life will fall apart and you’ll have no chance to show it to anyone. So it’s not necessarily an indication of conversing ability. It just hangs there for the benefit of immediate friends and relatives who want to make a big deal of it.</p>
<p>I’m not taking offence. I’m pointing out that it’s a manifestation of institutional arrogance, the sort only a university that sells its own branded underwear could promote.</p>
<p>The point is not that it’s a conversation starter; rather the suggestion that everyone should be aware of it, to give you the respect it supposedly merits. Several posters on this thread have reinforced this.</p>
<p>Every college and university in the US sells its own branded clothing. It’s a tradition. Harvard is no better and no worse than any other school in this respect.</p>
<p>True enough. But it is also a fact of life that there is a syndrome - manifested in UKRUS, the poster prior to you - that inflicts many. </p>
<p>While it is perfectly OK to wear a San Diego State, LSU or Illinois t-shirt or sweatshirt, it is a manifestation of arrogance to wear a Harvard t-shirt or sweatshirt.</p>
<p>Every Harvard student learns this soon enough.</p>
<p>Yeah, URKUS, you need to relax. There are plenty of colleges that send out acceptance certificates. Personally, I think it is meant for the student themself, not for showing off. It really is nothing more than a cool keepsake. It isn’t a “manifestation of arrogance.”</p>
<p>I never suggested sending a certificate is a manifestation of arrogance - I’m all for souvenirs. I have been referring throughout this thread to Byerly’s “Presumably his proud parents framed it [the certificate] and hung it over the TV set!” comment. I’ve yet to see a single argument suggesting that wouldn’t be in bad taste short of reductio ad absurdum.</p>
<p>Byerly clearly does have some Harvard arrogance, as manifested by his dismissive attitude to comparisons between it and Oxford University. This has been shown again with the spurious argument about clothing, which he basically introduced as an excuse to crow about Harvard once again. I have no problems with clothing in general, I own some myself. I just think underwear is taking it a bit far. What next, great big crimson condoms? </p>
<p>I find it somewhat perplexing that people keep telling me to relax, by the way…I’ve hardly been aggressive in my language!</p>